Monday, September 30, 2013

Most people try to find full-time work after becoming unemployed. However, a job search can be a lengthy process which leaves many in a rut emotionally, physically, and professionally. A different approach involves finding a volunteer job. True, you won’t get paid. But there are many benefits to taking a volunteer opportunity while you’re looking for that full-time paid job.Here are our Top 5 Reasons to Volunteer while Unemployed:1.It’s fulfilling. Giving back to your community allows you to connect with those around you who are in need and work for a cause that you care about. Writing a donation check might not be an option right now, but you can still give your time.2. Maintain camaraderie & stay active. Many people who find themselves with an extended “time off” miss getting out and interacting with a team. Volunteering gives you a place to go on a regular basis where you can work with others for a common cause.3. Building skills or maintaining current ones. Volunteering can be a great way to learn new skills or maintain current skills if the opportunity is suited to your experience. Non-profits and other organizations that provide volunteer opportunities are often willing to train those who give their time. Picking up new skills will make you a more valuable employee.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Millennial job seekers are on the go and don’t have time to sit at a desktop computer filling out job applications.Besides, applying for jobs from your mobile device just seems more natural, right? Well, now all of your job search needs can be met directly through your smartphone or tablet.If you’re looking for some ways to improve your job search, here are six mobile apps designed for the Millennial job seeker:

Business cards are one of the most important networking tools. SnapDat allows you to create a business card with your mobile device and share it with people with whom you’d like to connect. Because of this app, you no longer have to worry about carrying a stack of business cards in your wallet or purse.

Take your search on the go with Job Search by Indeed.com. This is a great way for Millennial job seekers to search and apply for jobs, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. It’s simple and fast, and you can also save or email your favorite job postings.Apps 4-6 and the complete article

Thursday, September 26, 2013

HotelTonight, like many startups I talk to these days, is cursed/blessed with a wealth of riches in the form of resumes and job candidates. We’re fortunate enough to get a lot of interest in the roles we post, but the sheer number of responses we get means we need to be efficient about the way we approach the hiring process.One way my team and I streamline the process is by going into it with a clear list of dealbreakers. Stay away from hiring:The One Who Hasn’t Used Your ProductA few years back, when HotelTonight was just getting off the ground, I had an interview in San Mateo for one of our first Market Managers. One of my first questions was about what she thought of the app. Her response: To be honest, I haven’t had time to download it yet. She had time to trek down to the Peninsula for the interview, but didn’t have a few seconds to download the app, do her research and demonstrate her interest in the product and company? I continued the interview, but in retrospect, I should have ended it right then and saved both of us time.Getting the company name wrong, not downloading their app or checking out their website, not thoroughly researching what a company does – you’d think getting these things right would go without saying, but they come up more often than you’d expect, and demonstrate a lack of attention to detail, passion for the product and industry and, frankly, respect for the company and interviewer.The One With the TypoSpeaking of attention to detail, typos are another non-starter. Our team has received many a resume expressing a candidate’s enthusiasm for a role at “HotelTonihgt” or emphasizing their “editorail skills” (really). First impressions matter, and it’s worth taking the time (and getting a second set of eyes to look over your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn page) to make a good one.The One With the Out-of-Date LinkedIn ProfileIn many industries, but in particular the tech world, having an out-of-date LinkedIn profile just doesn’t make sense. Sharing your resume via email is great, but having a clean, updated and professional public profile is essential. Having an updated LinkedIn profile says that you value personal brand management, understand current hiring trends and are upfront about your career history. Take the time to clean yours up, get recommendations from colleagues (and write them in return!) and make yourself look enticing to potential employers. You never know who might discover you that way. Ways 4,5, and the complete LinkedIn post

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

In every job interview, there are five “make-it-or-break-it” moments that send the candidate onto the next round of interviews, possibly even a job offer, or to the discard pile.Of course, there are highly important aspects before (research) and after (effective follow up) the interview. For the purpose of this discussion, however, we’ll focus exclusively on winning your initial interview with each employer.

Without further delay, here are the five defining moments of every job interview…3. The Value PropositionNow that you’ve moved the recruiter to conversational mode, it’s time to rise above most of your competition. How? By clearly working your unique value proposition into the conversation!

Your value proposition is what makes you the most hirable candidate for the position. Maybe it is your experience, passion, your entrepreneurial outlook, knowledge of the competition or ability to lead teams. More than likely, it’s a combination of all of the above, and more. Articulating why you are the right person for the job makes the recruiter’s decision – and job – that much easier while leaving no doubt you have the confidence to step right into the role.4. The QuestionsAt some point, the recruiter is going to ask: “Do you have any questions of me?” – and you better be ready.Saying “no” implies you aren’t interested. Saying “Not at this time, we covered everything” shows you haven’t done your homework. Asking questions easily found online demonstrates a lack of passion and creativity. Inquiring about the exact compensation and benefits may indicate you are worried mostly about you.At this critical point in the interview, you should ask three types of questions, in no particular order:

A question about the recruiter’s personal experience with the company (“What do you enjoy about working for this company and our industry?”)

A question specific to the job or project (“In my first 60 days in this role, how would we measure my success as a (insert job title)? How can I make the most impact?”

A question about the company and its future (“I see your competition, ABC Company, has rolled out a new product line; short-term, how will we contend with their launch?)

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

During the job search, there are lots of questions every job seeker comes across. How long should my resume and cover letter be? How long should I wait before following up? Not all of these questions need an entire article to answer, but they all deserve some attention. This is your chance to the answers to all of the questions you’ve been pondering during your job search.Here are the answers to 10 frequently asked questions about the job search:FAQ #1. How long should I make my cover letter and/or resume?Your cover letter should be no more than one page in length. It should explain who you are and why you’re the best candidate for the job. It needs to be very concise, yet keep the hiring manager wanting to learn more. If you go any longer than a page, the person reading it will get bored.Your resume should also be limited to one page, especially if you’ve been in the workforce for a short amount of time. Hiring managers spend only 6 seconds looking through your resume, so it’s important to keep it to one page filled with strong keywords to stand out.FAQ #2. What are the most important things to include in my resume? Some essential things to include in your resume are: your name, contact information, education history, work or internship experience, and related skills. All of these details should be tailored for each individual job application. Additionally, you can include professional organizations and special awards if you think they’re relevant.FAQ #5. How long should I wait before following up? If you don’t hear back from an interviewer right away, don’t follow up again until after the interviewer’s deadline has passed. If the date passes and you still haven’t heard anything, send a brief follow-up to remind the interviewer about your qualifications and interest in the open job. After that first follow-up, you can follow-up again every 7-10 days up to two more times for a total of three follow-ups. If you still haven’t heard back, you should move on.FAQ #6. Should I write a thank you letter by hand or in an email? This is a personal preference. Either works, but 89 percent of hiring managers are fine with an email note, and half of them actually prefer it. Just be sure to personalize the note. Remind your interviewer who you are, how much you want the job, and why you’re the best person for it.All 10 Questions and Answers and the complete glassdoor article

Monday, September 23, 2013

By Vicki Salemi | U.S.News & World Report LPYou aced it. Or at least you thought you did a stellar job during the job interview, but now that a month has come and gone, you're not so sure. You thought you would get at least a phone call a few days or even a week later regarding next steps, but now? Not so much. Insert crickets.And now you have to face the music: You didn't get a shot at a final interview, let alone that coveted job offer. What went down? Let's look at various scenarios:1. You talked too much/too little.2. You appeared nervous and lacked confidence.3. Your soft skills weren't so sharp.4. Your technical skills weren't up to par...5. Or they were too on point and you were deemed overqualified.6. The hiring manager felt threatened by your sparkling skills and spot-on experience.7. You were too vague and didn't illustrate examples when asked behavioral-based questions.8. Not a cultural fit with the team and organization.9. Too much of a fit - maybe you appeared overconfident.Reasons 10 - 21 and the complete USNews article

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Last year we inaugurated our first-ever list of the best websites for your career. We took nominations from readers and combed through some 700 sites in order to compile our list of the top 75. This August we put out another call for nominations and got a flood of 2,000 comments, emails and tweets in response. Then we reviewed last year’s list and considered all of the new nominations. In the process we decided to expand our list to 100.Our goal was to assemble a comprehensive guide to smart and engaging sites. We hope we’ve come up with a thorough list of online destinations for interns, job seekers, business owners, established professionals, retirees, and anyone else looking to launch, improve, advance, or change his or her career.My colleague Susan Adams, who helped compiled the list, has written an accompanying post with her picks for the ten best sites from our list of 100. She reminds readers that while there are some great resources on the web, they shouldn’t spend too much time on the Internet scouring listings, reading career advice or blasting out their resume Especially for those in job search mode, it’s better to spend time researching companies, networking and meeting people face to face.Our full list of the top 100 sites is not a ranking and there are no winners or losers; it’s rather a compilation of nominated sites that we believe deserve some special recognition. The list includes blogs, job boards, government sites, personal career coaching pages, and traditional media outlets’ career sites that could be useful to those conventional office jobs, Federal workers, work-from-home professionals, entrepreneurs, college students, retirees, and more.Here are the Top 100 Career Websites of 2013 (in alphabetical order):

A Better Interview A Better Interview was founded in 2012 by Marc DeBoer, who recognized a gap in the services provided by the major job searching and interview help sites. DeBoer believes that every job seeker deserves the chance to interview for his or her dream job—so through A Better Interview, he offers users the opportunity to speak live to a trained HR professional about interview skills, job searching methods, salary negotiation, tough interview questions, and background checks, among other things. The site also offers a job board currently featuring over 430,000 positions.About.com/Careers About.com’s Jobs & Careers section offers a wealth of free information to job seekers and those looking to advance their careers, including articles about everything from how to get along with your boss to illegal job interview questions. About.com/Careers also links to other sites focused on specific careers like advertising or criminology that have articles on topics like copywriting or “a day in the life of a police officer.” Users can also read up on the history of various fields, find a list of schools where they can study for a particular degree, or peruse an article on the most popular jobs in a given field. The site links to job listings powered by Indeed.com. Job search and employment expert Alison Doyle has been About.com’s job search guide since 1998.Absolutely Abby AbsolutelyAbby.com is written by Abby Kohut, a recruiter who has hired over 10,000 people in her 18-year HR career, and who is now a motivational speaker that teaches secrets of the job search process that other recruiters simply won’t tell you. On the website, you will also find articles and radio and TV clips that include Kohut’s secrets. She offers advice in a motivational tone which is intended to inspire job seekers to take action and believe that they can have success.Blogging4Jobs Blogging4Jobs.com is an online workplace resource for managers, leaders, human resources, and recruiting professionals. They take their audience to “uncomfortable, yet necessary,” places exposing them to the realities of the workplace without the “corporate sugar coating.” The site was launched in 2007 with a goal of helping job seekers learn the unwritten rules of job searching. The site has since expanded to offer insights into the world of work from a corporate and operations no-nonsense point of view.Boredom to Boardroom Boredom to Boardroom is a unique new site for young professionals who need help fast tracking their careers and/or finding amazing corporate jobs. The site offers readers real-life stories, honest no-holds-barred advice, and sneaky tips that HR departments probably prefer to keep to themselves. BoredomToBoardroom.com is run by Kari Reston, a gen Y-er who reached senior management level by the time she was 29, climbing the corporate ladder in London, Singapore, and New York.

Brazen Life Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, Brazen Life offers edgy and fun ideas for navigating and succeeding in the changing world of work. Through the blog’s newsletter, readers also get exclusive access to online recruiting events and inside job opportunities hosted by Brazen’s partners.See all 100 sites and the complete Forbes article

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

3. Replace Job/Career Objective (no one cares what you want), with Performance Profile. Managers do performance reviews on all employees every year so the phrase has immediacy and relevance. Beneath the heading, address the heart of what you do in your professional work. Take the first four to five priorities from your TJD and turn them into short sentences running no more than five lines.4. Core Competencies. Follow the Performance Profile with a Core Competency section. This contains all the words and phrases that were used in the job posting to describe your work (example: A/P, A/R, Quarterly P&L). List all the words and phrases that apply to you in columns; then repeat the words in the context of each of the jobs where they were applied, this way you get to use keywords that will be used by recruiters as search terms at least once and possibly two or three times; this will improve your database ranking. A hiring manager will read Core Competency section as headlines for all the skills you can talk about.5. Together, a Target Job title, Target Job Deconstructions, Performance Profile, and Core Competency section pack all the information into the first half page of your resume, to improve its database performance and to tell any recruiter or hiring manager of your ability and suitability for the job. This opening to a resume tells any reader you can do the job and you "get" what is truly important.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

“Demonstrated leadership abilities and experience.” This phrase is often included amid a long list of bullets on employers’ job descriptions. It’s something that many of us think we have, too. A quick search on Google brought back more than 141M results for “leadership programs” and more than 231M for “management programs.” With all of this talk about leadership, what does it really mean?

What are the leadership qualities that employers seek?

How can job seekers communicate their leadership abilities?

What makes one candidate’s leadership skills stand out from another?

As a seasoned business leader or a recent grad looking to get your foot in the door as part of a development program, you may have wondered what goes on inside of an interviewer’s mind. In no particular order, here are some of the star qualities that recruiters and hiring managers look for to fill their leadership positions and programs.

9 LEADERSHIP QUALITIES THAT EMPLOYERS SEEK

1. Motivate others. Think back through your experience, how have you directed the efforts of others? Can you think of three or four concrete examples in which you had to motivate groups to accomplish goals?2. Drive results. In business or in student organizations, leaders are responsible for moving the needle and getting results. Think about how to best communicate the end results and quantify those answers, when possible.3. Show initiative. As a leader, have you just sat back and watched others do the work? Or do you show the initiative to develop and execute on ideas? Many employers are looking for leaders to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives.4. Adapt to change. How do you deal with the ebb and flow of every day? What examples demonstrate your ability to be flexible and adapt to the ever-changing world around us?Qualities 5-9 and the complete Blogging4Jobs article

Monday, September 16, 2013

A staffing firm in Oklahoma City, Express Employment Professionals, surveyed 300 hiring managers about the biggest interview blunders they’ve seen – and some of the results are hard to believe.We figured you’d get a kick out of these resume mistakes job seekers have made. Check out the list and, please… don’t make these mistakes:

1. Lying About Experience: 65 percent

It’s no surprise this was the most common interview mistake. Fibbing about your skills is all too common. Remember former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson? He was fired after folks figured out that he never got his degree in computer science.25-year-old Adam Wheeler lied about going to Harvard, which landed him jail time for violating probation. The same goes for interviews. Lying is the fastest way to a train wreck!

2. Answering a Phone Call: 61 percent

Play it safe and leave your phone in the car. This is going to help avoid no. 6 and 7, below.Note: if it’s a foreseeable emergency (like your wife is past her due date), make a disclaimer before the interview starts.

3. Arriving Late: 59 percent

A standard rule of thumb is to arrive about 10 minutes early. That way you have time to power pose in the bathroom, breathe and give yourself some positive affirmations to appear more confident.

4. Badmouthing a Current or Former Boss or Co-worker: 51 percent

The most common instance to trip up on this one is when you’re asked “Why did you leave your last job?” or “What did you enjoy least about your job?

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Author: Sally BartlettBefore I retired, I had the best seven years of my career and was hired at the ripe old age of 57! My boss did not give my age more than a passing glance; he was thrilled to find someone with all the right qualifications for the job, PLUS maturity and someone he knew wanted stability and wouldn’t bolt the following year looking for more money.The day I was hired was incredible; I had just returned to the Midwest from Arizona, because the job market there was horrible. I had been working two jobs six days a week and having a hard time meeting expenses, so I moved back to where I had grown up; Chicago land. I picked up the want ads as this was 1997 and I didn’t own a personal computer yet. I saw the ad for an administrative assistant to the Manager of Information Services (MIS) and VP at the headquarters of one of the classiest retail chains in the United States (Crate & Barrel). Man, I wanted that job!I borrowed someone’s fax machine and faxed my resume in the morning; I got a call for an interview within an hour; I had my interview that afternoon with personnel, and only just caught my future boss by minutes before he would have left the building. After I went home to wait, the job offer call came before business hours were over. When it’s the right fit, everything goes smoothly, no matter what age you are.Now, why was it the right fit? Years of experience, that’s what. One of the best things an applicant over 45 can offer is experience and maturity. There are plenty of companies and business owners who actually prefer employees who have some savvy about life under their belt instead of just fresh from college. Of course, to compete with the brainy college graduates, us older folk need to adhere to a few rules. Here are my 10 tips:

Keep up a good appearance.Wear fashionable clothes, current hair cuts and styles and don’t stay in a time warp with appearance, no matter how much you loved it.

Stay current with skills. The more technical savvy an older applicant is the more impressive.

When writing your resume, only list most current jobs so that older dates don’t catch the eye.

When listing schools and education training, just list the names with no dates.

Write a great cover letter, Here is where you can bring in older job experiences and skills without having the dates jump off the page on the resume.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

When you apply for any job, the very first tool you will use to grab the attention of employers is your cover letter. (Yes, there are of course companies that are so big they don’t have time for cover letters. But plenty of hiring managers at small and mid-sized companies do read them, myself included.) A cover letter highlights the reasons you are the best person for the job and how you will benefit the company. It also demonstrates your ability to effectively communicate your objective. That’s why the opening lines of your cover letter are so important. You need to hook the employer so they want to continue reading and learn more about you.There’s no one right way to open your cover letter, but there are a few techniques you can try to make your letter stand out. Here are five ways to write the opening lines of your next cover letter:1. Job Title & Accomplishments. This is a very common and effective way to start out a cover letter. The idea is to get straight to the point and impress the employer with your background. Use your most impressive and most relevant accomplishment stories to explain your worth.Example: As a social media coordinator for Company X, I manage many digital media outlets. By implementing new social media marketing tactics, in the past year, I have doubled our audience on Facebook and tripled our followers on Twitter.2. Excitement Means Dedication. Another approach is to begin your letter by expressing your excitement for the job opportunity. If there’s a job or company you’re particularly enthusiastic about, it’s great to say so. When a potential employer sees you’re excited, this translates into how motivated and dedicated an employee you would be. This makes them want to find out if you’re as qualified as you are eager.Example: I was excited to find an opening in human resources with Company Y because your work with y (be specific) has been important to me for a long time. I am the perfect candidate for this position because it combines my experience with human resources and y.3. Keywords, Keywords, Keywords. When applying for a larger company where you know an applicant tracking system will be used, a smart idea is to make your opening lines keyword-heavy. The right keywords will make sure your cover letter gets read, and will immediately highlight many of your most relevant skills.

Example: Written and verbal communications are two of my strongest areas of expertise. Through my years of experience in public relations, I have perfected my skills in social media, media relations, community engagement, and leading a team. It is the combination of these skills that makes me the best candidate for your public relations manager.Lines 4,5, and the complete glassdoor blog post

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

By Jennifer ParrisLet’s face it: Job hunting is kinda boring at best, grueling and soul crushing at worst. Sometimes you need a little lift when you’re perpetually applying to job positions. But instead of clicking on funny YouTube videos like “Dog Plays Dead To Avoid Bath Time,” cruise on over to TED.com to give yourself an emotional boost — and some much-needed career inspiration. We’ve chosen our five favorites below — each under 20 minutes — to help keep you motivated you during your job search.

1. Wingham Rowan: A New Kind of Job Market

No matter what age or stage you’re at in your career, everyone can benefit from a telecommuting position — and some added work life balance. Wingham Rowan, the founder of Slivers Of Time, addresses the issues facing much of today’s workforce: the need for flexible schedules. He explains how telecommuting jobs benefit not only employees but also employers — and the global economy as a whole.

2. Mike Rowe: Learning From Dirty Jobs

As the host of the Discovery Channel’s hit show Dirty Jobs, host Mike Rowe has seen — and done — it all. He speaks in-depth about how he’s witnessed first-hand that people who have “dirty jobs” are happier, more balanced individuals who whistle while they work — and pick up road kill as they do it. Rowe makes the point that any job is a respectable job, and why following your passion might be the worst thing you can do for your career.

3. Dan Ariely: What makes us feel good about our work?

In his riveting speech, behavioral economist Dan Ariely pinpoints what truly motivates employees. Through a series of experiments, Ariely shows that pay is only a small factor of what brings true happiness to workers. Through positive motivation, acknowledgment and inclusion, employers can create a more cohesive, invested — and yes, happier — workforce than they ever thought possible.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Perhaps you are skeptical about how social media use can improve your chances to land a new job. After all, the traditional media never hesitate to showcase people who make mistakes using Facebook and Twitter, causing them to lose their employment. It's likely you've barely even heard of Google+; what can this network possibly offer job seekers?

In a nutshell: a lot. The caveat? You need to know a thing or two about Google+ to make the most it. To get started on the right foot and break out of your job search rut, keep in mind these four things all social media tools offer job seekers and the ways Google+ helps accomplish them:

1. The opportunity to demonstrate expertise.If you and the people you work with are the only ones who know how great you are at your job, it will be difficult to land a new opportunity down the road. Luckily, Google+, offers a platform to demonstrate what you know for people who do not already know you.

Make the most of Google+ by posting updates that highlight your expertise. Are you a health insurance expert? Post links with news about how new regulations affect your industry and include your comments. Does your expertise include fashion or interior design? Create a stream of information and photos in your Google+ profile showing that you are up-to-date about what's fashionable and what is passe. Include pictures and commentary to illustrate what you know.

When you use Google+ to post public updates, Google indexes your expertise, and you have a chance for your posts to appear as search results for other people's queries about the topics you include in your updates.

2. The chance to expand your network. Have you ever wanted to connect with someone, but you couldn't access an introduction? Perhaps you considered cold calling the contact, but didn't feel confident you could actually connect? Using Google+, you can contact people you don't already know on line and communicate directly with them with no barriers to entry.

It's as easy as finding the target person on Google+ (use the search bar at the top to discover if he or she is using the social network) and using his or her name in an update. To make sure you have the best chance to win someone's attention, either use a + or an @ symbol before his or her name.

For example, if you want John Smith to notice you, you can add him to your Google+ circles (the equivalent of your friends on Facebook) and follow what he posts. When you want to get his attention, comment on his posts or repost something he shared and use his name, "+JohnSmith" in your post. Doing so will trigger a notification for John that you mentioned him.

Depending on the nature of your online conversations, you can easily impress John or other contacts and grow your network of people who know, like and trust you – and who may be willing to refer you for a job opportunity or for an informational meeting.Ways 3,4 and the complete AOL Jobs article

Friday, September 6, 2013

There seems to be a large, growing population that views the profession of third party recruiting as a useless industry. They find recruiters to be greedy, selfish and caring more about the commission checks they cash than the people they place. Used car salesmen are starting to get better reputations.As a seasoned recruiter I take offense to this. It pains me to hear people talk so poorly about a profession I have worked so hard at and take so seriously.At the same time, as a seasoned recruiter, I’ve seen enough to know these people deserve to look down on the recruiting industry. They are well within their rights to put a recruiter down and diminish the profession. Unfortunately there are recruiters out there that are proving them right. If you have a LinkedIn account, a few hundred bucks to get set up on CareerBuilder and a working phone line you can call yourself a recruiter. There is no degree to get into the field. And for most agencies there really aren’t any specific qualifications to be hired either, which means anytime you receive a call from a recruiter you are either about to work with someone who can change your life, or waste 5 minutes of your time.It’s that latter part that causes such ill feelings about the profession. Dealing with someone who doesn’t value your time or more importantly, your career, can cause these negative opinions, and I don’t blame candidates for feeling this way.

I want to highlight 5 points to ensure that when you do get that call, you will know if they are worth working with or not:

1) Do they understand what is important to you?

What I am about to say here is no surprise: recruiters are compensated by their clients, and, as such, the loyalty lies where the money stream flows.The bad recruiter only sees this and their process is pretty simple. They will get you on the phone, determine if you are a fit and move on.The good recruiter sees the bigger picture. They will make sure that they are gathering the information that is important to your career, and if it matches the open job, then great, we are one step closer to a placement. If not, that’s OK too.

Knowing what is important to the candidate will help the recruiter determine what future positions make sense to approach you about. Bad recruiters will sacrifice the long term relationship for immediate results.

2) How much do they know about the job?

Give me 10 minutes with the most entry level recruiter and I can get them to take a half decent job order from a hiring manager. Believe me, it’s not difficult.

"But what do they really know about the job?"

Of all things, this is probably the top complaint from candidates. However, candidates must be realistic. Some information is just hard to get as a recruiter because a client does not want to give too much to a third party.But a good recruiter will dive deeper – they should understand why the position is open, how many people are on the team, how long their client has been in business and what personality traits are important to the hiring manager among many other things.

If a recruiter is just reading off of a job description and hasn’t done their homework, look out.

3) Knowledge of your skill sets:

Another popular complaint from candidates is recruiters not understanding their industry. This is an easy thing to be angry about because you take pride in what you do – to have some person you never met try and tell you if those skills that took you years to acquire match a few bullet points on a piece of paper can feel intrusive and offensive. Recruiters aren’t Web Developers, CNC Machinists or Executive Assistants, they are recruiters, and their job isn’t to pretend to be something they aren’t.

However, a good recruiter should do some research on what they are hiring for – they should be able to talk to you with some level of understanding what it takes to get the job done for the position they call you about and they should be comfortable enough to be honest about not having the same knowledge of your industry as you do.Points 4,5, and the complete "TheUnderCoverRecruiter" article

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Glassdoor recently published the winners of its inaugural Talent Warrior Awards, honoring this year’s most innovative and socially-savvy recruiters and HR professionals. These hiring pros are some of the best in the business, so we asked them what job

seekers can do to get noticed.

Below, you’ll find each Talent Warrior’s take on how to get on a recruiter’s radar and how to impress once you do. (See what else these Warriors think when it comes to the future of social recruiting.)Arie BallVP Talent Acquisition, SodexoHow would someone get on your radar?I tend to notice professionals who are actively engaged in their profession, and contribute in a thoughtful way to discussions. Who can help but notice professionals with a true passion for their work, or for causes they believe in?Was there a candidate that totally wow-ed you and if yes, how did they do it?Yes, I met a very interesting executive search professional via social media. She reached out to me via Twitter to learn more about Sodexo. We set up a time to talk, and she asked questions about what it was like to work in a corporate environment. We talked about the differences between the search firm environment vs. the corporate recruiting environment. Over the next several months we had several conversations on various topics, and I was able to see her depth of knowledge and diversity of thought, and her genuine love of the profession. About a year later, when we had an opening in our Talent Acquisition Group, I immediately thought of her.Carrie CorbinAssociate Director, Talent Attraction, AT&T

How would someone get on your radar? For a smaller company, it’s easier to try to contact someone directly and circumvent the typical apply process. However, in larger organizations – following the recruitment process becomes more important and you can attract the wrong kind of attention by trying to get around it. For me, standing out would be creating a resume and/or work examples that clearly call out and QUANTIFY your experience and accomplishments that relate to the job you’re applying for. In media, marketing, or UX/IT? Look at creating an online portfolio of your work & including that link in your application/on your resume. Actual examples that showcase your awesomeness sell me and show me you’re the real deal.Was there a candidate that totally wow-ed you and if yes, how did they do it? I’m wowed when I see candidates take the same approach to branding themselves as I take to branding our business. Job seekers with cohesive messages about strengths, goals or overall work style show me they are thinking not about how to get hired or say the right thing, but about how to showcase a cohesive message and tell me something meaningful about themselves.

Carolyn EisemanDirector, Employer Brand, Enterprise Rent-A-CarHow would someone get on your radar? Social recruiting is a critical component of our hiring strategy, candidates can engage with us on any of our career social profiles. It is a great way to find a local recruiter, learn more about Enterprise, ask questions and ultimately fill out the required online application.Was there a candidate that totally wow-ed you and if yes, how did they do it? While we get significant engagement through our social career platforms, we would love to see more candidates interact in a more innovative way, such as using hash tags, or presenting a more unique look at the skills they can bring to Enterprise.Steve FogartySr. Manager, Employer Branding & Digital Recruiting, Adidas GroupHow would someone get on your radar?Easily. I’m all over the place on social, all you have to do is look. If you join one of adidas Group’s career pages I’ll be there. Then show me you are a great fit for adidas Group! And do the heavy lifting; find roles that are a fit for you. Our jobs are posted, apply, then let me know why you are a great fit and I’ll pass it on to the right people. That simple!Was there a candidate that totally wow-ed you and if yes, how did they do it?

Candidates are getting more and more creative with getting attention. I’ve been impressed with several candidates recently who have built infographics, videos and even full blown websites to convey their experience! I’m a sucker for creative people with an awesome design sense. But, this is not required to get the job. Not everybody has these skills and we always go for the best person for the job. As long as you are applying online and convey your experience, passion and goals clearly, you’ll have a fair shot at getting into the adidas Group.See what all 10 had to say and the complete glassdoor article

You already know by now that LinkedIn is a great tool to help with your job search, but it's also the place to be when you're NOT directly looking for a job. Passive job seekers are already employed, but willing to take on a new opportunity, should the offer fit the bill. So, whether you're actively seeking a job or not, LinkedIn is where it's at.

For those of you who just crawled out from the rock you were living under for a decade or so, LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that has morphed into one of the top tools recruiters use to find qualified candidates. Setting up a profile on LinkedIn is free and relatively simple, but it does require a bit of thought and time in order to complete your profile in its entirety (which is an important step if you want to get noticed). If you would like to learn more about how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, take a look at this post.

In a recent interview with The Washington Post, LinkedIn's VP of Talent Solutions and Insights, Dan Shapiro, indicated that "through regular surveys, LinkedIn has determined that 20 percent of its users are actively seeking new positions and 20 percent couldn’t be happier in their jobs. The remaining 60 percent fall into the passive job seeker category."

Shapiro went on to state that the social networking site is working diligently on the back-end to find out exactly what it is that makes the "passive job seeker" believe a particular job is the right fit. If that question can be answered, LinkedIn will hold the key to a valuable recruiting tool that will take the guesswork out of matching jobs to candidates. Therefore, it's essential for active and passive job seekers to have complete and updated online profiles if they wish to catch the eye of social recruiters. Otherwise, you can just consider your lacking profile as a message to the recruiters that screams, "I'm too lazy to type out words; wait until you see my terrible work ethic. Hire me."

Check out this infographic from Masters in Human Resources that illustrates how LinkedIn has revolutionized the world of recruiting, with 97 percent of staffing representatives utilizing the social site for recruiting candidates.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

We’ve all heard it before: the job market is rough and the odds of college grads landing jobs are not high.However, there are many recent graduates finding meaningful work. They are prepared, confident… and they avoid far-too-common job search mistakes, like these:

One (or Five ) and Done

A recent survey of 600 college students by AfterCollege showed that only 44% of students apply to 1 to 5 jobs at a time. Unfortunately, today’s job market dictates that you must apply to 30 to 40 jobs just to get one call back for an interview.Remember, there are no “after hours” when it comes to getting a job, just because it’s not normal business hours, doesn’t mean you can ease on the applying. Be in it to win it!

Networking Isn’t Important

On the contrary, networking is the life force behind landing a job.There’s truth behind the age old saying “It’s who you know, not what you know.” Students complain that their career services don’t provide enough networking opportunities during college. But the key lesson here is sometimes you need to go out and make your own opportunities. Leverage your professors, alumni, other students and classmates… any one of them could hold the key to your next job.

Allowing Social Media to Be a TimeSuck

If you are using social media to network and engage your way into a job, great; by all means, spend the next 12 hours on Twitter. But, if you are using social in unproductive ways… a refresher course in time management is needed.Retweeting Kim Kardashian isn’t going to help your job search. Instead, use your time online to search industry specific hashtags, companies and industry leaders. And as number one above so clearly stated, use social media to apply to jobs!Mistakes 4,5, and the complete article

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Informational interviews are an excellent way to gain insight about your future career direction. However, if done wrong, these interviews can easily ruin a good networking opportunity… and your chance to land a job with that company.If you’re approaching an informational interview, here are the six most common mistakes to avoid:

1. Not Following Up After the Interview

Don’t let the professional think you disappeared into thin air after the informational interview. Many don’t realize how important the connection they make with the professional during the interview is. Even worse, saying you’re going to follow-up (and then don’t) will negatively impact your personal brand.

2. Not Preparing a List of Questions to Ask the Interviewer

An informational interview is just as important as a real job interview. This is an opportunity for you to learn everything you could possibly want to know about your future career. From drilling the professional with questions about how they achieve work-life balance to asking them about the most rewarding parts of their career, be sure to have a list of at least 10 questions to ask during the interview.

3. Unprofessional Attire

Don’t show up to the interview in your khakis, tennis shoes, and a polo. When you arrive to the interview, make sure you are dressed to impress. You can never overdress for an informational interview, so when in doubt, wear appropriate business professional attire.Mistakes 4-6 and the complete article